Johnson, Roger
Johnson, Roger Paul
September 5, 1946 - September 23, 2024Dr. Roger Paul Johnson, 78, passed away peacefully in the care of Hospice Wellington in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, on Monday, September 23, 2024. Roger was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on September 5, 1946, to Theodore Horace Johnson and Lilian Irene Gwendoline Gertrude Kingham. There, he grew up in the northern suburb of Roseville Chase. Roger’s education commenced at Castlecove Public School. In Grade 5, he was selected to attend Artarmon Opportunity School, and upon completing Grade 6, he gained entry to North Sydney Boys High School (NSBH), a selective school for “gifted” students. During his five years at NSBH, he excelled, not only scholastically but also in sport, eventually playing Rugby in the school’s First XV and, at weekends, with the Chatswood Rugby Club in the Gordon Northern Districts junior competition in which he gained representative status at NSW State Championship level. Roger completed his high school education with a very high matriculation mark in the “Leaving Certificate” exam. He gained entry to the University of Sydney’s much sought-after Veterinary Science faculty.
Roger acquired an interest in modern music and, in particular, in playing the drums, so much so that he and three friends formed a “rock-n-roll” band named “The Initials.” The Initials played at local dance nights in Sydney’s northern suburbs and toured New Zealand and New Guinea.
After receiving a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from The University of Sydney (USYD) in Australia in 1969, Roger worked in veterinary practice in Australia until 1973, when he took the position of Lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, USYD. He married his classmate, Julie Ann Yager. In 1976, he completed his Masters in Veterinary Science, and they moved to Canada, where he took the position of Lecturer in the Department of Clinical Studies of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), University of Guelph. Roger was awarded a Doctorate in Veterinary Microbiology & Immunology from OVC in 1980. He was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Studies, OVC, until 1982, when he became an Assistant Professor of Immunology. From 1987 to 1989, he was an Associate Professor in Immunology at the Dept of Veterinary Microbiology & Immunology, OVC.
In 1989, Roger spent a year facilitating outdoor challenges for a corporate team-building program in Japan. He returned to a Research Scientist position at the National Microbiology Laboratory (formerly the Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses), Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, where he became Director of Reference Laboratories. Dr. Johnson contributed significant research on the detection, epidemiology, control, and host-pathogen interaction of food/water-borne enteric bacterial pathogens, particularly E. coli O157:H7 and other verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC). He and his team developed testing methods widely available commercially for rapidly detecting foodborne bacterial pathogens. Dr. Johnson contributed significant research into Bacteriophage Therapy.
For his excellent contribution to the field of food and water-borne pathogens, Dr. Johnson was honoured with the Health Canada Assistant Deputy Minister’s Award for Excellence in Collaborative Leadership of the Canadian Federal VTEC Network in 2009 and the Deputy Minister’s Award for Excellence in Science in 2009. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for excellence in the development of diagnostic methods.
Dr. Johnson has published over 130 research articles, presented his work at international scientific conferences, and has two patents. He was an advisor or advisory committee member for over 30 OVC graduate students.
His parents predeceased him. He is remembered fondly by his wife Michelle McMillan, step-daughter Amelia Wood and dog Hudson of Guelph; his Australian family: brother Peter and his former wife Deborah, nephew Andrew and his partner Nikki; niece Michelle, her husband David and their children James and Abbie; and niece Alexandra (Tilly); and special friends: Julie Anne Yager, Margaret Auchterlonie, Gabhan (Jennifer) and Caitlin (Daryl) Chalmers, Dudley Witney, Melanie Hines, Jean-Pierre Schloch, Barbara Robinson and Geneviève Labbé.
Roger loved swimming, sailing and surfing the ocean. His aquamated remains will be scattered in the Tasman Sea off the coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Wellington, Guelph.
A celebration of life if planned for Sunday November 3rd at 2pm, please RSVP below:
